170 British Birds, 



sometimes one only ; and, it is said, usin^ her beak 

 sometimes for the same purpose. — Fig. 1, plate IX, 



GREAT ^'^I?Y.—{GalHjmgo major ; formerly, 

 Scolopax major). 



Solitary Snipe, Double Snipe. — Often taken, no 

 doubt, by many a sportsman in former days to be a 

 very large specimen of the Common Snipe, tlian 

 which no bird with which I am well acquainted 

 seems to vary more in size. On the wing it does not 

 look mucli larger than tlie Common Snipe, and is 

 seldom seen except alone, or at most two in company. 

 It breeds in high northern localities, and never with 

 us, and no notice, therefore, of its nesting habits is 

 permissible in this place. 



COMMON ^'^IVE—iGallinago Ccelestis ; formerly, 

 Scolopax gallinago). 



Whole Snipe, Suite, Heather-bleater. — Although 

 this snipe, like tlie Woodcock, retires to northern 

 latitudes to breed, yet there are few districts in 

 Britain suitable to its habits in which it is not known 

 to breed in greater or less numbers. And it is a bird, 

 moreover, which is quite sure to make it very dis- 

 tinctly known that it has a nest and eggs somewhere 

 near, if only any human visitor appears on the scene. 

 I refer to the very peculiar note or sound emitted by 

 the male, always wdiile he is on the wing high in the 

 air, and always ace jmpanied with a very remarkable 

 action of his wings and curving descent in his flight. 

 This sound or note — for it is not absolutely certain, I 



